The group stage for the revamped UEFA Nations League has concluded, paving the way for an exciting ending to the competition. The tournament will resume with knockout stages and promotion/relegation play-offs next year. This article provides a comprehensive guide for the best payout casino in UK and how the rest of the Nations League shapes up.
In League A - the top tier of the Nations League - teams finishing first and second in each group progress to two-leg quarter-finals scheduled for March 2025. The eight teams that have made it through to this phase are Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.
Winners from these last-eight ties will then advance to the UEFA Nations League final tournament featuring semi-finals and a final slated for June 2025.
Promotion and relegation latest
Teams that topped their respective groups in Leagues B, C and D have secured automatic promotion. They are:
- Promoted to League A: Czech Republic, England, Norway and Wales.
- Promoted to League B: North Macedonia, Northern Ireland, Sweden and either Romania or Kosovo.
- Promoted to League C: Moldova and San Marino.
Those teams relegated from their current leagues down are:
- Relegated to League B: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Israel, Poland and Switzerland
- Relegated to League C: Albania, Finland, Kazakhstan and Montenegro
- Relegated to League D: Azerbaijan and Lithuania
The relegation and promotion playoffs are set for March 2025 where third-place finishers from higher leagues face off against second-placed sides from lower leagues. Winners secure their spots in higher leagues while losers face relegation to the league below.
Participants in the playoffs between League A and League B will be Austria, Belgium, Greece, Hungary, Scotland, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine
Participants in the playoffs between League B and League C will be Armenia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Iceland, Kosovo, and either Romania, the Republic of Ireland, Slovakia or Slovenia.
At the bottom of the pile, playoffs between League C and D will include Gibraltar, Latvia, Luxembourg and Malta.
Performance of the 'home nations' in the UEFA Nations League
In terms of the British sides, England and Wales, having each won their groups in League B, are promoted to League A for the next competition. Therefore, they will not participate in March's playoffs.
Also, having not been in League A, they will miss the UEFA Nations League final tournament. For them, this UEFA Nations League campaign is over.
Scotland must navigate the playoffs next year if they hope to keep their place in League A. Meanwhile, Northern Ireland have been promoted from League C to League B and their campaign has also come to an end at this stage.
What impact does the UEFA Nations League have on World Cup qualifying?
The Nations League also influences World Cup qualifying. The four best-ranked group winners who do not finish in the top two of their World Cup qualifying groups next year will qualify for a play-off to reach the World Cup.
This provides an extra incentive for teams across Leagues B and C, offering them a unique chance to make their dreams come true and reach the FIFA World Cup, to be hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026.
England and Wales, by finishing top of Group B2 and Group B4 respectively, are likely to have a World Cup play-off spot secured. Northern Ireland also stand a chance but Scotland is out of the running for snatching a play-off spot via the Nations League.
Seedings for World Cup qualifying groups will primarily be decided by FIFA world rankings rather than Nations League finishes with a few exceptions.
As we bid farewell to this stage of the Nations League, fans can look forward to more games from the competition with much higher stakes coming next year.
